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suggestion。 Seizing it and Low at the same moment； he playfully
forced him down again in his chair。
〃Ah； you rascal！〃 he said； with infinite archness； 〃that's your
game； is it？ You want to trap poor Father Wynn。 You want to
make him say 'No。' You want to tempt him to commit himself。 No；
sir！never； sir！no； no！〃
Firmly convinced that the present was Nellie's； and that her
father only good…humoredly guessed it； the young man's simple；
truthful nature was embarrassed。 He longed to express his
gratitude； but feared to betray the young girl's trust。 The
Reverend Mr。 Wynn speedily relieved his mind。
〃No〃 he continued； bestriding a chair； and familiarly confronting
Low over its back。 〃No； sirno！ And you want me to say 'No；'
don't you； regarding the little walks of Nellie and a certain
young man in the Carquinez Woods？ha； ha！ You'd like me to say
that I knew nothing of the botanizings； and the herb collectings；
and the picknickings therehe； he！you sly dog！ Perhaps you'd
like to tempt Father Wynn further； and make him swear he knows
nothing of his daughter disguising herself in a duster and
meeting another young manisn't it another young man？all
alone； eh？ Perhaps you want poor old Father Wynn to say No。 No；
sir； nothing of the kind ever occurred。 Ah； you young rascal！〃
Slightly troubled； in spite of Wynn's hearty manner； Low； with
his usual directness； however； said； 〃I do not want anyone to
deny that I have seen Miss Nellie。〃
〃Certainly； certainly；〃 said Wynn； abandoning his method；
considerably disconcerted by Low's simplicity； and a certain
natural reserve that shook off his familiarity。 〃Certainly it's
a noble thing to be able to put your hand on your heart and say
to the world； 'Come on； all of you！ Observe me； I have nothing
to conceal。 I walk with Miss Wynn in the woods as her
instructorher teacher； in fact。 We cull a flower here and
there； we pluck an herb fresh from the hands of the Creator。 We
look； so to speak； from Nature to Nature's God。' Yes； my young
friend； we should be the first to repel the foul calumny that
could misinterpret our most innocent actions。〃
〃Calumny？〃 repeated Low； starting to his feet。 〃What calumny？〃
〃My friend； my noble young friend； I recognize your indignation。
I know your worth。 When I said to Nellie； my only child； my
perhaps too simple offspringa mere wildflower like yourself
when I said to her； 'Go； my child； walk in the woods with this
young man； hand in hand。 Let him instruct you from the humblest
roots； for he has trodden in the ways of the Almighty。 Gather
wisdom from his lips； and knowledge from his simple woodman's
craft。 Make； in fact； a collection not only of herbs； but of
moral axioms and experience'I knew I could trust you； and；
trusting you； my young friend； I felt I could trust the world。
Perhaps I was weak； foolish。 But I thought only of her welfare。
I even recall how that to preserve the purity of her garments； I
bade her don a simple duster； that； to secure her from the
trifling companionship of others； I bade her keep her own
counsel； and seek you at seasons known but to yourselves。〃
〃But 。 。 。 did Nellie 。 。 。 understand you？〃 interrupted Low
hastily。
〃I see you read her simple nature。 Understand me？ No； not at
first！ Her maidenly instinctperhaps her duty to anothertook
the alarm。 I remember her words。 'But what will Dunn say？' she
asked。 'Will he not be jealous？'〃
〃Dunn！ jealous！ I don't understand；〃 said Low； fixing his eyes
on Wynn。
〃That's just what I said to Nellie。 'Jealous！' I said。 'What；
Dunn； your affianced husband； jealous of a mere frienda
teacher； a guide； a philosopher。 It is impossible。' Well； sir；
she was right。 He is jealous。 And； more than that； he has
imparted his jealousy to others！ In other words； he has made a
scandal！〃
Low's eyes flashed。 〃Where is your daughter now？〃 he said sternly。
〃At present in bed； suffering from a nervous attack brought on by
these unjust suspicions。 She appreciates your anxiety； and；
knowing that you could not see her； told me to give you this。〃
He handed Low the ring and the letter。
The climax had been forced； and； it must be confessed； was by no
means the one Mr。 Wynn had fully arranged in his own inner
consciousness。 He had intended to take an ostentatious leave of
Low in the bar…room； deliver the letter with archness； and escape
before a possible explosion。 He consequently backed towards the
door for an emergency。 But he was again at fault。 That
unaffected stoical fortitude in acute suffering； which was the
one remaining pride and glory of Low's race； was yet to be
revealed to Wynn's civilized eyes。
The young man took the letter； and read it without changing a
muscle； folded the ring in it； and dropped it into his haversack。
Then he picked up his blanket； threw it over his shoulder； took
his trusty rifle in his hand； and turned towards Wynn as if
coldly surprised that he was still standing there。
〃Are youare yougoing？〃 stammered Wynn。
〃Are you NOT？〃 replied Low dryly； leaning on his rifle for a
moment as if waiting for Wynn to precede him。 The preacher
looked at him a moment； mumbled something； and then shambled
feebly and ineffectively down the staircase before Low； with a
painful suggestion to the ordinary observer of being occasionally
urged thereto by the moccasin of the young man behind him。
On reaching the lower hall； however； he endeavored to create a
diversion in his favor by dashing into the bar…room and clapping
the occupants on the back with indiscriminate playfulness。 But
here again he seemed to be disappointed。 To his great
discomfiture； a large man not only returned his salutation with
powerful levity； but with equal playfulness seized him in his
arms； and after an ingenious simulation of depositing him in the
horse…trough set him down in affected amazement。 〃Bleth't if I
didn't think from the weight of your hand it wath my old friend；
Thacramento Bill；〃 said Curson apologetically； with a wink at the
bystanders。 〃That'th the way Bill alwayth uthed to tackle hith
friendth； till he wath one day bounthed by a prithe…fighter in
Frithco； whom he had mithtaken for a mithionary。〃 As Mr。
Curson's reputation was of a quality that made any form of
apology from him instantly acceptable； the amused spectators made
way for him as； recognizing Low； who was just leaving the hotel；
he turned coolly from them and walked towards him。
〃Halloo！〃 he said； extending his hand。 〃You're the man I'm
waiting for。 Did you get a book from the exthpreth offithe latht
night？〃
〃I did。 Why？〃
〃It'th all right。 Ath I'm rethponthible for it； I only wanted to
know。〃
〃Did YOU send it？〃 asked Low； quickly fixing his eyes on his
face。
〃Well； not exactly ME。 But it'th not worth making a mythtery of
it。 Teretha gave me a commithion to buy it and thend it to you
anonymouthly。 That'th a woman'th nonthenth； for how could thee
get a retheipt for it？〃
〃Then it was HER present；〃 said Low gloomily。
〃Of courthe。 It wathn't mine； my boy。 I'd have thent you a
Tharp'th rifle in plathe of that muthle loader you carry； or
thomething thenthible。 But； I thay！ what'th up？ You look ath if
you had been running all night。〃
Low grasped his hand。 〃Thank you；〃 he said hurriedly； 〃but it's
nothing。 Only I must be back to the woods early。 Good…by。〃
But Curson retained Low's hand in his own powerful grip。
〃I'll go with you a bit further；〃 he said。 〃In fact； I've got
thomething to thay to you； only don't be in thuch a hurry； the
woodth can wait till you get there。〃 Quietly compelling Low to
alter his own characteristic Indian stride to keep pace with his；
he went on： 〃I don't mind thaying I rather cottoned to you from
the time you acted like a white manno offentheto Teretha。
She thayth you were left when a child lying round； jutht ath
promithcuouthly ath she wath； and if I can do anything towardth
putting you on the trail of your people； I'll do it。 I know
thome of the voyageurth who traded with the Cherokeeth； and your
father wath one…wathn't he？〃 He glanced at Low's utterly
abstracted and immobile face。 〃I thay； you don't theem to take a
hand in thith game； pardner。 What'th the row？ Ith anything
wrong over there？〃 and he pointed to the Carquinez Woods； which
were just looming out of the morning horizon in the distance。
Low stopped。 The last words of his companion seemed to recall
him to himself。 He raised his eyes automatically to the woods
and started。
〃There IS something wrong over there；〃 he said breathlessly。
〃Look！〃
〃I thee nothing；〃 said Curson； beginning to doubt Low's sanity；
〃nothing more than I thaw an hour ago。〃
〃Look again。 Don't you see that smoke rising straight up？ It
isn't blown over there from the Divide； it's new smoke！ The fire
is in the woods！〃
〃I reckon that'th so；〃 muttered Curson； shading his eyes with his
hand。 〃But； hullo！ wait a minute！ We'll get hortheth。 I say！〃
he shouted； forgetting his lisp in his excitement〃stop！〃 But
Low had already lowered his head and darted forward like an arrow。
In a few moments he had left not only his companion but the last
straggli